Lombardi Watch List released

HOUSTON – The Lombardi Award Committee released the 2011 Lombardi Award Watch List on Tuesday. This will be the 42nd season that the Lombardi Award has named the nation’s college lineman of the year.

Alabama, Boise State, Miami, North Carolina and SMU lead the way with four players each among the 125 candidates on the initial watch list. Eleven other schools have at last three contenders, including Nebraska which boasts defensive tackle Jared Crick, the only Lombardi Award semifinalist (12 players) returning from 2010. A total of 33 schools have multiple players among the initial watch list. 

Eligibility for the Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen competing either on offense of defense from end to end who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, and linebackers who set up no father than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. All candidates also must be eligible to play college sports under the rules and regulations of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The candidates earned a place on the watch list by earning All-American honors last season, by being named to their respective all-conference first team last season as selected by the conference’s head coaches, by being projected to be an All-American or first team all-conference player for the coming season, or by nomination approved by the nominations committee.

While the watch list highlights those players who have already received national recognition, any FBS player who meets the above requirements is eligible for consideration from the Lombardi Award Selection Committee. This committee is comprised of more than 500 members, including all past winners and finalists, all FBS head coaches, and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

The Lombardi Award Watch List, intended as a reference tool for the selection committee, will be periodically updated and revised up to the first round of voting to determine the 12 semifinalists for 2011.

Last year’s Rotary Lombardi Award winner, Nick Fairley (Auburn), was drafted by the Detroit Lions and finalist Adrian Clayborn (Iowa) was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both in the first round of the National Football League draft.

The 42nd Lombardi Award will be handed out during festivities on Dec. 6-7 at Reliant Center in Houston.